Road to the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup preview: Full schedule and how to watch live
The key things to know about the RTWGC ahead of matchday two, as six teams aim to push for a spot at next year's Gold Cup.
Football
We’re edging closer to the next round of fixtures from the Road to the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, as next year’s tournament continues to take shape.
Known as RTWGC in short form, the competition is split across three leagues - A, B, and C - with teams currently in the former two are in with a chance of qualifying for the Spring football showpiece in 2024.
This week will see the second of three scheduled matchdays as the Gold Cup seeks its six final teams, with a further six already qualified.
The United States and Canada booked their spot by winning the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship and CONCACAF Olympic play-off respectively.
Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay, meanwhile, secured a place in the tournament as the four top teams in the 2022 COPA America Femenina.
Jamaica - who were narrowly beaten by Canada in the Olympic playoff - have withdrawn from the RTWGC qualifiers due to ‘constant mistreatment’ from their national governing body.
“While this has been one of the hardest decisions we have had to make, we feel it necessary to take such a drastic stance to put an end to the constant mistreatment we receive from the Jamaica Football Federation,” the team said in a collective statement.
With that in mind, here are the key things to know as matchday two nears…
League A & B: How it works and how things stand
There are three three-team groups in League A – the winners will automatically qualify for the W Gold Cup, while the runners-up will go into the playoffs.
They will set up make-or-break ties with the winners of three four-team groups in League B, with the playoff victors booking a place in the competition.
Here is how the tables look heading into matchday two…
MONTERREY, MEXICO - JULY 14: Valeria Del Campo of Costa Rica controls the ball during the semifinal between United States and Costa Rica as part of the 2022 Concacaf W Championship at Universitario Stadium on July 14, 2022 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images)
RTWGC: Team to watch
El Salvador is currently flying high in League B of the qualifiers, well on their way to booking a spot in the playoffs. Scoring goals for fun, the Group B leaders currently have three players third in the standings for top-scorer after netting 12 goals in two games.
Nine of those came in a thumping Martinique, who held their opponents to 1-1 before the 16th minute when El Salvador would add to their third-minute opener with eight more goals. Brenda Ceren, Samaria Gomez, and Danya Gutierrez each bagged a brace in that game, with the trio scoring a goal each in their opening game victory over Nicaragua, which ended 3-0.
Should they retain their top spot and qualify for playoffs, El Salvador will go through as the top-ranked team from League B, setting up a grandstand clash with the lowest-ranked side from League A, with Haiti, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago among the potential opponents.
Road to W Gold Cup: Schedule and how to watch
Here are the key round 2 fixtures from League A and B...
League A, Group A
27 October: Trinidad and Tobago v Peurto Rico - 19:00 ET/01:00 CET
31 October: Puerto Rico v Trinidad and Tobago - 15:30 ET/21:30 CET
League A, Group B
25 October: Panama v Jamaica* - 19:00 ET/01:00 CET
29 October: Jamaica* v Guatemala - 18:00 ET/00:00 CET
*Withdrawn from qualifiers.
League A, Group C
26 October: Saint Kitts and Nevis v Haiti - 19:00 ET/01:00 CET
30 October: Haiti v Saint Kitts and Nevis - 18:00 ET/00:00 CET
League B, Group A
25 October: Suriname v Guyana - 18:00 ET/00:00 CET
25 October: Dominica v Antigua and Barbuda - 15:00 ET/
29 October: Guyana v Suriname - 16:00 ET/22:00 CET
29 October: Antigua and Barbuda v Dominica - 15:30 ET/21:30 CET
League B, Group B
25 October: Martinique v Nicaragua - 16:00 ET/22:00 CET
26 October: Honduras v El Salvador - 21:00 ET/03:00 CET
29 October: Nicaragua v Martinique - 22:00 ET/04:00 CET
29 October: El Salvador v Honduras - 20:00 ET/02:00 CET
League B, Group C
27 October: Barbados v Bermuda - 19:00 ET/01:00 CET
27 October: St. Vincent v Dominican Republic - 15:00 ET/
31 October: Bermuda v Barbados - 18:30 ET/00:30 CET
31 October: Dominican Republic v St Vincent - 19:00 ET/01:00 CET
Games will be shown globally on Concacaf GO and YouTube, with broadcasting rights differening for those in the Carribean and Central, North and South Amercia.